[TYPE THE COMPANY NAME]
APC2601
Assignment 1
(QUALITY
ANSWERS)
Semester 1
2025
[Pick the date]
[Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of
the document. Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of
the contents of the document.]
, Exam (elaborations)
APC2601 Assignment 1 (QUALITY ANSWERS)
Semester 1 2025
Course
Political Change in Contemporary Africa (APC2601)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Book
An Introduction to African Politics
This document contains workings, explanations and solutions to the APC2601
Assignment 1 (QUALITY ANSWERS) Semester 1 2025.
. Coloniality had a severe impact on Africa’s economic and political
development. Write an essay in which you discuss how and why the 1884-5
Berlin consensus and scramble and conquest of Africa resulted in the
dismemberment and fragmentation of Africa. In your essay select an African
state and explain its consequential political-economic development
trajectory caused by coloniality.
or Write an essay in which you discuss economic bilateral relations between
two African states. In your essay discuss the economic relations between any
two African states, identify the economic, social and political benefits for
each state involved in the bilateral relation(s) and critique the importance of
economic bilateral relations between states.
or Coloniality has affected how markets operate. Write an essay in which
you discuss how the current “coloniality of markets and new scramble for
Africa” deeply manifests and is embedded in how multinational corporations
drive the economy of African states. In your essay select a multinational
corporation as an example operating in an African state and critique it’s
relevance within the selected state.
ESSAY 1
, Coloniality and the Dismemberment of Africa: The Case of the Democratic Republic of
Congo
Introduction
The 1884-5 Berlin Conference and the subsequent Scramble for Africa marked a turning point in
the continent's history, leading to its dismemberment and fragmentation. European powers,
driven by economic interests and geopolitical competition, partitioned Africa without regard for
indigenous political, social, and economic structures. This process not only disrupted African
societies but also established a colonial system that continues to shape the continent’s
development. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) provides a compelling case study of
how coloniality profoundly impacted the political and economic trajectory of African states.
The Berlin Conference and the Scramble for Africa
The Berlin Conference, convened by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, sought to regulate
European territorial claims in Africa and prevent conflict among European powers. However, it
completely disregarded African autonomy, treating the continent as a resource-rich landscape
ripe for exploitation. European nations divided Africa into artificial borders, undermining
existing governance structures and imposing new ones that prioritized European interests. The
resulting colonial states were designed to serve European economic needs, fostering dependency
and underdevelopment.
The Dismemberment and Fragmentation of Africa
The arbitrary division of Africa led to the fragmentation of ethnic groups, the forced
amalgamation of incompatible societies, and the disruption of traditional governance systems.
These changes sowed the seeds of political instability, as colonial administrations imposed
foreign systems of governance that disregarded indigenous institutions. Moreover, economic
exploitation, primarily through resource extraction, created economies that served the colonial
metropoles rather than fostering local development. This legacy of artificial borders and
economic dependence has persisted into the post-colonial era, contributing to ongoing conflicts
and underdevelopment.
Case Study: The Democratic Republic of Congo
The DRC exemplifies the destructive impact of coloniality. Initially claimed by King Leopold II
of Belgium as his personal possession, the Congo Free State (1885-1908) was subjected to one of
the most exploitative colonial regimes in history. Leopold’s administration focused on the
extraction of rubber and minerals, using forced labor and brutal repression. This period resulted
in the deaths of millions of Congolese and the severe weakening of traditional institutions.
When Belgium officially took over in 1908, colonial rule continued to prioritize resource
extraction over local development. Infrastructure, such as railways and roads, was built solely to
facilitate the movement of raw materials to European markets. Education and governance were
structured to maintain Congolese subjugation, with very limited opportunities for political
APC2601
Assignment 1
(QUALITY
ANSWERS)
Semester 1
2025
[Pick the date]
[Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of
the document. Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of
the contents of the document.]
, Exam (elaborations)
APC2601 Assignment 1 (QUALITY ANSWERS)
Semester 1 2025
Course
Political Change in Contemporary Africa (APC2601)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Book
An Introduction to African Politics
This document contains workings, explanations and solutions to the APC2601
Assignment 1 (QUALITY ANSWERS) Semester 1 2025.
. Coloniality had a severe impact on Africa’s economic and political
development. Write an essay in which you discuss how and why the 1884-5
Berlin consensus and scramble and conquest of Africa resulted in the
dismemberment and fragmentation of Africa. In your essay select an African
state and explain its consequential political-economic development
trajectory caused by coloniality.
or Write an essay in which you discuss economic bilateral relations between
two African states. In your essay discuss the economic relations between any
two African states, identify the economic, social and political benefits for
each state involved in the bilateral relation(s) and critique the importance of
economic bilateral relations between states.
or Coloniality has affected how markets operate. Write an essay in which
you discuss how the current “coloniality of markets and new scramble for
Africa” deeply manifests and is embedded in how multinational corporations
drive the economy of African states. In your essay select a multinational
corporation as an example operating in an African state and critique it’s
relevance within the selected state.
ESSAY 1
, Coloniality and the Dismemberment of Africa: The Case of the Democratic Republic of
Congo
Introduction
The 1884-5 Berlin Conference and the subsequent Scramble for Africa marked a turning point in
the continent's history, leading to its dismemberment and fragmentation. European powers,
driven by economic interests and geopolitical competition, partitioned Africa without regard for
indigenous political, social, and economic structures. This process not only disrupted African
societies but also established a colonial system that continues to shape the continent’s
development. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) provides a compelling case study of
how coloniality profoundly impacted the political and economic trajectory of African states.
The Berlin Conference and the Scramble for Africa
The Berlin Conference, convened by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, sought to regulate
European territorial claims in Africa and prevent conflict among European powers. However, it
completely disregarded African autonomy, treating the continent as a resource-rich landscape
ripe for exploitation. European nations divided Africa into artificial borders, undermining
existing governance structures and imposing new ones that prioritized European interests. The
resulting colonial states were designed to serve European economic needs, fostering dependency
and underdevelopment.
The Dismemberment and Fragmentation of Africa
The arbitrary division of Africa led to the fragmentation of ethnic groups, the forced
amalgamation of incompatible societies, and the disruption of traditional governance systems.
These changes sowed the seeds of political instability, as colonial administrations imposed
foreign systems of governance that disregarded indigenous institutions. Moreover, economic
exploitation, primarily through resource extraction, created economies that served the colonial
metropoles rather than fostering local development. This legacy of artificial borders and
economic dependence has persisted into the post-colonial era, contributing to ongoing conflicts
and underdevelopment.
Case Study: The Democratic Republic of Congo
The DRC exemplifies the destructive impact of coloniality. Initially claimed by King Leopold II
of Belgium as his personal possession, the Congo Free State (1885-1908) was subjected to one of
the most exploitative colonial regimes in history. Leopold’s administration focused on the
extraction of rubber and minerals, using forced labor and brutal repression. This period resulted
in the deaths of millions of Congolese and the severe weakening of traditional institutions.
When Belgium officially took over in 1908, colonial rule continued to prioritize resource
extraction over local development. Infrastructure, such as railways and roads, was built solely to
facilitate the movement of raw materials to European markets. Education and governance were
structured to maintain Congolese subjugation, with very limited opportunities for political
